Porro
Encyclopedia
The porro is a musical style and dance from the Caribbean region of Colombia
. It is a Colombian Cumbia
rhythm that developed into its own sub-genre. It was originally a folkloric expression from the Sinú River area that evolved into a ballroom dance. It is played mostly by brass bands or orchestras and danced in couples.
There are two types of folkloric Porro: "Palitiao" and "Tapao"
The term "palitiao" derived from the way the bombo drum (used in Cumbia
and Porro) is struck along its rim to produce the sound of a cowbell. This type of porro is associated with the Sinu River and its surrounding cities and towns. Most would agree on San Pelayo
, Córdoba as its place of birth. This is the reason why it can also take the name of "Porro Pelayero". In orchestrated variants, Porro Palitiao or Pelayero is known as "Gaita". See La Sonora Cordobesa or Pacho Galán
for sample music of Porro Palitiao or Colombian Gaita.
The Porro Tapao is associated with the savannas around Cartagena. Its birthplace is believed to be the town of Carmen de Bolivar. In orchestrated forms, this type of porro gets the name of "Porro Sabanero". See Lucho Bermúdez
or Toto La Momposina
for samples of Porro Sabanero.
Nowadays, orchestrated Porro has lost the widespread popularity it had during the 1940s–1970s in Colombia. However, since the 1980s, in the city of Medellín
there has been a growing interest among young people in "reviving" this old but beautiful music and its dance. There are dozens of schools in the city that specialize in Porro, (as well as Mambo
, Pasodoble
, Tango
and Cha-Cha-Cha
) where both young and middle-aged people learn to perform complex turns to Lucho Bermúdez's and Pacho Galan's numbers.
It's also worth mentioning the Festival del Porro in San Pelayo
, which seeks to preserve Porro's "folkloric" roots. There is also the Festival del Porro in Medellín, where all variants of the music are enjoyed and dance competitions are held: both ballroom and folkloric.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is a Colombian Cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
rhythm that developed into its own sub-genre. It was originally a folkloric expression from the Sinú River area that evolved into a ballroom dance. It is played mostly by brass bands or orchestras and danced in couples.
There are two types of folkloric Porro: "Palitiao" and "Tapao"
The term "palitiao" derived from the way the bombo drum (used in Cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
and Porro) is struck along its rim to produce the sound of a cowbell. This type of porro is associated with the Sinu River and its surrounding cities and towns. Most would agree on San Pelayo
San Pelayo
San Pelayo is a town and municipality located in the Córdoba Department, northern Colombia.-References:...
, Córdoba as its place of birth. This is the reason why it can also take the name of "Porro Pelayero". In orchestrated variants, Porro Palitiao or Pelayero is known as "Gaita". See La Sonora Cordobesa or Pacho Galán
Pacho Galan
Pacho Galan was a Colombian composer and band leader of several Colombian music forms, including porro, cumbia, gaita and merercumbe...
for sample music of Porro Palitiao or Colombian Gaita.
The Porro Tapao is associated with the savannas around Cartagena. Its birthplace is believed to be the town of Carmen de Bolivar. In orchestrated forms, this type of porro gets the name of "Porro Sabanero". See Lucho Bermúdez
Lucho Bermúdez
Luis Eduardo Bermúdez , was a Colombian musician, composer, and interpreter of Boleros, Cumbias, Porros and other Colombian folkloric rhythms stylized by orchestras.- Early years :...
or Toto La Momposina
Totó la Momposina
Sonia Bazanta Vides, better known as Totó la Momposina, is a Colombian singer of traditional mixed indigenous Colombian and Afro-Latin music. She was born in the northern Colombian town of Talaigua Nuevo near Mompox in the Bolívar Department...
for samples of Porro Sabanero.
Nowadays, orchestrated Porro has lost the widespread popularity it had during the 1940s–1970s in Colombia. However, since the 1980s, in the city of Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
there has been a growing interest among young people in "reviving" this old but beautiful music and its dance. There are dozens of schools in the city that specialize in Porro, (as well as Mambo
Mambo (dance)
Mambo .In the late 1940s, Perez Prado came up with the dance for the mambo music and became the first person to market his music as "mambo". After Havana, Prado moved his music to Mexico, where his music and the dance was adopted. The original mambo dance was characterized by freedom and...
, Pasodoble
Pasodoble
Pasodoble is a typical dance from Spain march-like musical style as well as the corresponding dance style danced by a couple. It is the type of music typically played in bullfights during the bullfighters' entrance to the ring or during the passes just before the kill...
, Tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
and Cha-Cha-Cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
) where both young and middle-aged people learn to perform complex turns to Lucho Bermúdez's and Pacho Galan's numbers.
It's also worth mentioning the Festival del Porro in San Pelayo
San Pelayo
San Pelayo is a town and municipality located in the Córdoba Department, northern Colombia.-References:...
, which seeks to preserve Porro's "folkloric" roots. There is also the Festival del Porro in Medellín, where all variants of the music are enjoyed and dance competitions are held: both ballroom and folkloric.